I Know
by Sachiela
Summary: Just my own take on how the truth comes out between Mizuki and Sano. Rated PG13 for minor situations.


Yes, a HanaKimi fic. It's gotta be my favorite series. This is just a one-shot of Sano telling Mizuki that he knows. My own interpretation of the whole thing. Hope you enjoy!

HanaKimi is not mine, belongs to Hisaya Nakajo. I dare say that I'd never be able to come up with such a renowned story.

I know

Maybe it's time to tell her. No. I can't. She'll run off, or something similar. It's her nature. But…she did stand up for me on countless occasions, and herself on a few of them. But that time with Makita…she might still be wary of guys. No, that's off too. She has fallen asleep countless times in my bed and didn't seem any stranger afterward, though she didn't act fully like herself for a few hours after she woke up. Not that I blame her, she probably never planned that to happen, the way she always acted afterwards, brushing it off trying to say "We're both guys, so it's cool, right?" or something along those lines. It was all too clear that she was uncomfortable.

Izumi Sano looked up and out the window, breaking his train of thought. His class, meaning Mizuki and everyone else he had hung out with for the past year, was graduating in a few days and senioritis was running high in the air. It wasn't as if they had anything else left to learn anyways. The last test had been completed yesterday, and today they were getting the results back. Not that any of them cared, they just wanted the year to be over with so they could get out for the summer.

Talk of colleges had been going around as well, with people comparing where they were going. Mizuki was talking of continuing her education here, but she wasn't sure yet, as her brother had come over and thrown a fit a few weeks ago. Every once in awhile he would catch her staring at him from the corner of her eye, but she turned away quickly before he could ask her about it. She was even quieter in their dorm room, only talking when it was completely necessary. It was really beginning to get on his nerves. He was so used to her saying, or at least showing on her face, what she was thinking that her silence was starting to creep him out. People like Mizuki weren't meant to be quiet.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced up to see the very person he was thinking about smiling down at him slightly. "Class ended a few minutes ago, Sano," Mizuki said, a small giggle in her voice. He looked about the classroom and found them completely alone and the door closed behind her. He couldn't ask for better circumstances. But here wasn't the place. They could easily be walked in on as soon as he confronted her. No, it would be better to wait until they were back in the dorm. At least there he could lock the door.

Sano stood up without warning, startling Mizuki so much she nearly fell over. Before he even registered what he was doing, he had pulled his smaller roommate back to her feet and had an arm placed protectively around her waist. He let her go quickly, but not until they both had a new shade of pink tinting their cheeks. "Let's go back to the dorm."

Mizuki smiled her normal, cheerful smile and Sano felt all was right again. Except for the underlying current that coursed through his body. He had to get this in the open soon. If he avoided the truth any longer, he would loose his chance and she would be gone.

Back in the room, he placed his bag on his bed and loosened his tie. He recalled the many times he had helped her with her own tie, and found himself smirking at the memory. She really could be hopeless sometimes.

"Sano? Are you alright?" Damn, she saw the grin. Maybe she would think nothing of it. Or maybe this was his time to act. Sano had already latched the door behind him, under the pretense he didn't want anyone to bother him right now. Which wasn't completely a lie. He didn't want anyone to bother him, not when he was about to finally tell Mizuki that he knew. That he had known her secret since that day Nakatsu—the idiot he was, and still is—knocked the wind out of her in her first few days there.

"I was just thinking…" Oh how to bring it up! "You did a really good job hiding the truth from everyone all this time. You've actually made it all the way to graduation."

She looked shocked for a moment, then panicky. "Wha…what are you talking about?"

He stepped up to her and leaned forward, so that their noses were almost touching. "You know very well what I'm talking about. You can drop the act in here. I haven't told anyone in all this time, why would I tell anyone now? Though…I bet Nakatsu would be happily surprised to find out. At least he wouldn't worry so much about being gay anymore."

Mizuki had visibly paled and was backing away from the boy in front of her. He knew. He KNEW! Worried, she paused a moment. He never said what he knew fully…but bringing up Nakatsu made it pretty obvious in her eyes, but there was still a chance. "I…I'm sorry…but what are you talking about, Sano? I don't have a secret like that-"

He cut her off by connecting his mouth to hers. Sweetness filled his senses until she backed away, only stopping when her back touched the wall. Realizing how scared she was, now especially that she had trapped herself in a corner, Sano sat down on his bunk with a sigh. He looked over at her, his expression soft, almost kind, and Mizuki took slight comfort in it, though she didn't completely drop her guard.

"Mizuki, relax. I won't touch you anymore if you don't want me to, just hear me out, okay?" He waited a moment for her response and only continued after she nodded. "I know you're a girl." Ashiya paled considerably and appeared frantic. Izumi cut her off before she said anything, though. "I won't tell anyone, I already said that. Think about it for a minute. Would I wait until now to bring it up if I had wanted to use it against you? I don't fully understand why you risked so much to come here, but I don't think it matters anymore."

She could only stare at him. He had said the truth so calmly that it was obvious he had known for awhile. But why wait until now to tell her? "O…okay. So you figured it out. But…why now? Why didn't you tell me before?"

Sano sighed again. "I couldn't bring myself to say anything. I dropped hints now and then. But you remained oblivious. And since we graduate in a few days, I wanted to be sure to tell you before you left…" he trailed off. He still wasn't sure if he wanted to say it aloud.

"Tell me…what? Just that you knew I am a girl…or something else?" She sat next to him, all her previous wariness gone, looking truly concerned.

Without warning, Sano wrapped one hand around her head and pulled her face to him until their lips met. This time though, instead of backing away, Mizuki leaned into the kiss, allowing her senses to dull to all that was around her with her complete attention focused on the boy in front of her. Almost by instinct, she lifted her hands and buried them in his hair. Tentatively (?) she parted her lips when she felt his tongue gently brush them and gasped when she felt him dive inside. She pushed away suddenly, short on air.

They both sat there for a moment in complete silence, not awkward, but comfortable. Sano's hand now rested at the base of her neck, gently rubbing as he watched her. She had turned her eyes downward and with his other hand he lifted her face so she was looking straight at him. Tears were running down her cheeks.

"You know guys don't cry," Sano said, chuckling as he wiped a few drops away.

Mizuki glared at him. "You're the one who said I wasn't one," she shot back.

He paused, then smiled. "You're right. Though that doesn't tell me why you're upset."

"B…because…I…I love you," she said the last in a rush, then gasped as her hands went to cover her mouth. How could she have just blurted it out like that? What if he didn't feel the same? What if—?

Her thoughts were cut short when she felt Sano kiss her forehead. He was smiling and Mizuki thought her stomach was doing flips. "I'm glad," he whispered. "I love you, too."

Mizuki wrapped her arms around Sano's neck and hugged him tight, glad she made the mistake of saying her feelings aloud. His hands moved around her midriff and pulled her closer, so she was nearly sitting on his lap. Not that she would have minded either way.

There was a sharp knock on their door and they both separated quickly, even though it was impossible for anyone to come in. They both breathed a sigh of relief. As Mizuki started walking to the door after shouting "Coming" Sano grabbed her arm.

"Are you going to tell everyone yet?"

She shook her head, a slight smile on her face. "No, not yet. I don't think it would be the right time. I don't know if I'll ever tell everyone. But…I think I have to tell Nakatsu eventually. I owe him that much."

"All right. But if you tell him, you better let me go with you. I have no idea what he'll make of it and I don't want you hurt." Sano sounded worried. Mizuki leaned down and kissed his cheek as his grasp fell limp. At the door, who should it be but Nakatsu, the very person they were both concerned about.

Dinner went by quickly and before either realized it, they were already back in their room about to get ready for bed. Mizuki looked over at Sano, who had just taken off his shirt, and turned away, a bright blush painting her cheeks. He had seen and found himself snickering at her antics again. Without bothering to put a shirt on or change pants, he walked up behind his roommate and wrapped his arms around her middle, causing her to yelp lightly in surprise.

He pressed his lips to her neck and she tilted her head in response, exposing more of the tender flesh. A small moan escaped her lips. She turned around in his hold and found his lips with her own. One of his hands strayed up the back of her shirt while the other cradled her head. Slowly, they walked back towards the bed and fell lightly upon it, not once breaking the kiss. The hand that was behind her head softly trailed around to her collarbone and began to unbutton her shirt. Mizuki's hands busy themselves. One was buried in Sano's hair, amazed at the softness of it, while the other trailed over his back for a moment before sliding around to his chest. Sano traced around the top of her vest before grasping the zipper and pulling down. Mizuki froze under him and he stopped.

"Hey…you okay?" he asked, concern etched deep in his voice.

She could only manage the smallest of smiles. "Sorry…I just…I remember when we worked at the inn. And I…I guess I remembered an old…fear…"

Makita—he still left her scars, even after a year had gone by. Sano leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. "It's alright. I shouldn't have gone this far. You should get to your own bed," he added as he tipped to the side, so he was against the wall on the bed and she was able to leave freely.

"It's not like I did anything to stop you until now…" Mizuki began, but decided to change tactics. She laid her head against his chest and sighed contently. "And I'd much rather stay here anyway."

Sano smiled and hugged her small form to him. "I'd much rather you stay here, too." She giggled and snuggled further into his warmth. Within seconds her breathing had slowed. He looked down at her and felt a slight blush grace his cheeks. Even though she was asleep, he had still unzipped her vest a bit and a fair amount of cleavage was in plain sight. Carefully, as not to wake her, he pulled the tab up. She stirred and he froze, but she only turned and buried her face in the curve of his neck.

"Goodnight, Mizuki," he whispered, kissing her crown. Not much longer he too fell into the bliss of dreams.

_"Sano, what took you so long?" she asked as she ran over to him and threw herself into his arms. "I've been waiting forever it seems."_

"_Sorry…I had to take care of a few things. Besides, I'm here now, aren't I, Mizuki?" he replied._

"_Yes…and that's all that matters."_

Fin

Don't ask about the dream bit at the end...I have absolutely no idea where it came from. Just one of those things that pop into your head without warning, but turn out fine in the end. Review please!


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